Multiple power takeoff transmission



Oct. 6, 1953 w. P, scHMlT'rER 2,654,267

MULTIPLE POWER TAKE-OFF TRANSMISSION Filed Dec. 29, 1949 Mza' GttornegPatented Oct. 6, 19.5.3

MULTIPLE POWER TAKEOFF TRANSMISSION Walter Paul Schmitten', Milwaukee,Wis., assignor to The Falk Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporationof Wisconsin Application December 29, 1949, Serial No. 135,637

7 Claims. (Cl. 'I4-665) This invention relates to improvements in gearedpower transmissions in which different quantities of power are to betaken from the same output shaft at different points.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a gearedpower transmission in which different quantities of power may be takensimultaneously from the ends of the same output pinion shaft withoutimposing tilting forces on such shaft, which would disturb the full linetooth contact, resulting from bearing clearances and shaft deflections.

Another object of the invention is to provide a power transmission ofthe type above indicated and in which two gear trains are provided fordelivering power to the same output shaft and in which the loads andreactions on the two gear trains are automatically equalized by axialmovement of the output pinion shaft.

Objects and advantages other than those above set forth, will beapparent from the following description when read in connection with theaccompanying drawing which is a vertical sectional view of a powertransmission embodying the present invention.

Generally, the present invention is shown as embodied in atransmission'to which power is applied by a shaft having a main helicalgear driving two similar gear trains. Each of the similar gear trainsincludes a rst helical gear driven by the main gear, and a first bevelgear mounted on the same shaft with the first helical gear. The firstbevel gear meshes with a second bevel gear mounted on a shaft with asecond helical gear, the second helical gear meshing with a helicalpinion gear on the output shaft. In the present embodiment of theinvention, the input shaft is vertical while the output shaft ishorizontal with the ends thereof of different size for delivering widelyvarying quantities of power. It will be noted that the power is appliedby the two gear trains on the same side of the output shaft thusavoiding the imposing of tipping or tilting forces on such shaft, andthat such shaft is mounted for free axial movement to equalize theforces in the two gear trains. The output shaft has been shown with itsaxis in the vertical plane through the axis of the main gear, but suchoutput shaft may be shifted to either side of such plane as desiredwithout affecting operation of the transmission.

Referring particularly to the drawings by characters of reference, thenumeral I designates a housing which is shown as frusto-conical in shapeand is provided with an annular fiange 2 at the larger base forsupporting the transmission. An end plate 3 is fixed to the inner edgeof the base iiange to close the larger end of the housing. The smallerend of the housing is closed by an end plate 4. 'I'he particular shapeof the entire housing has no bearing on the invention, such shape beingdictated by the special use for which the transmission was to be firstutilized; namely, to receive power from a pancake type of diesel engineand to deliver the main flow of power to an electric generator, and anauxiliary iiow of power to a scavenging blower for the engine, the wholebeing particularly designed for shipboard use. In such first use,poweris supplied to the transmission at 400 R. P. M. and is delivered tothe final or output shaft at 3600 R. P. M. with 1700 horsepower beingtaken by the generator and horsepower required by the blower.

An input shaft 8 extends through the end plate 4 in which it is sealedby a suitable seal indicated at 9, and such shaft is mounted in bearingI9 for supporting a main gear II, the end of the shaft within thehousing being supported by a bearing I2 mounted on the housing. BearingsI0 and I2 are of the type for withstanding axial thrust thus retainingthe shaft 8 and the gear II in a given position.

A pair of similar gears I5 and I6 are mounted on shafts I 1 and I8 whichare supported in thrust bearings I9 and 20 in the housing end plate 4,to mesh with gear I I, the outer ends of the shafts I 1, I8 beingenclosed by removable plates 2| and 22 and the inner ends of such shaftsbeing supported in steady bearings 23, 24 mounted on the housing. Theshafts I1 and I8 severally have overhung therefrom the bevel gears 24and 25.

The bevel gears 24, 25 severally mesh with bevel gears 3|, 32 on shafts33, 34 supported in bearings 35, 35 and 31, 38, respectively mounted inthe housing. The shafts 33, 34 have severally mounted thereon gears 39and 48 severally meshing with gears 45 and 46 on an output shaftgenerally designated 41. The gears 39, 45 and 48, 46 are pairs of singlehelical gears of equal angle but of opposite hand. It will be noted thatpower is applied from the gears 39, 49 to the output shaft 41 on thesame side of such shaft so that the pressures on the shaft 41, that isthe tangential and separating forces are in the same direction, thethrusts due to the helix angles being in the opposite directions, whichresults in full line tooth contact. There is, therefore, no tendencytoward tilting or tipping of the shaft.

The output shaft is preferably divided into two portions 48 vand 49supported, respectively, in

3 bearings 50, 5|' and 52, 53 (mounted on the housing) with the shaftportions joined by a flexible coupling of a well known type which isindicated generally at 54 and which allows for axial movement betweenshaft portions and` for both angular and parallel misalignment of theshaft portion axes. The ends yof `the -outputishaft y47| -extend through.the housing 'throughsuitable seals 55, V5t. It will be noted that theoutput shaft portions differ materially in size dependent on thequantities of power to be taken from the several ends. The output shaftis so supportedin -the bearings as to be shiftable axially toallow'automatic equalization of the forces-on the vvtwogear trains asabove described 4and"therefore lon :the

main driving gear also. The exible coupling avoids the transmission fromone end of the shaft to the other of differentfeharacteristicfreactionsof the different loads on the shaft ends, thus securing smooth operationof both of the driven devices.

f1-he present invention, accordingly, provides a power transmissionlwhich .different quantities of power rare taken from the twoendsofasing-le shaft. Flow of power in. the transmission .is ,automaticallyland 4equally.dividedlbe'tvveen two .paths and is so appliedfto theshaftas .to avoid exerting forces on the shaft which -wouldtendto causetilting -or tipping thereof. .A balance .of .forces throughoutthefwhole-of .the transmissionV is .thus 'achievedwhich contributeslargelyto the. smoothness -of operation and -to Ythe durability o thetransmission.

JAlthough vbut one embodiment ofZ'the V.present invention has beenillustrated vand described, it will be apparent .that .various .changes.and .modiiications -niay be made-therein without departing from Atheinvention vvas--defined in .the .appended claims.

Iiclairn:

l. In a geared :power Itransmission for simultaneously taking different-quantities `of 4power .from 'the --ends of :a shaft, -a ihousing, -aninput shaft supported lin andextending `from the Ahousing, a main Vgearmounted .onthe input :shaft .in the :housing and restrained-from-axialmovement thereof, a plurality of separate-andsimilar geartrains driven by the -mainlgean .the gear trains :severally includingsingle helical gears and the corresponding helical gears of the severalAtrains Abeing of 'equal angie `but l'opposite hand, and an output shafthaving .the-ends thereof extending from the housing .and divided into-two iportions .of Adifferent .diametersforsimultaneously :deliver- @ingvdifferent"quantities of power, thegeartrains delivering .power to Ethe:output 'shaft at spaced locations -along the -length inf :the larger`diameter lportion and fthe output-shaft Ibeing mounted for axialV'movement 2te equalize leads-and reactions betweenthe-several;gearitrains.

kIn va 'geared power 'transmission for simultaneously taking fdifferentquantities eo-f epower ,from the ends .of :a shaft, a housing, ran inputshaft supported'in-.and extending from'the housing, 'a main gearrn'ounted von the input shaft .within :the fhousing and restrained fromlaxial `movement thereof, a pair tof .separate and'substantially'identical gear z.trains:"driveniby thermain gear, anoutput 'shaft .having @the vends thereof .extending from theih'ousingfor '-tdelivering tdiferent quantities of power :and axiallymovable, Y the output Vshaft being divided -into Yportions of .unequaldiameter `and the gear itrains delivering :power `to 4the:Vlarger'diameter portion .of -thefout- .put yshaft at locations spacedalong the length of the larger shaft portion, the gear trains includingcorresponding single helical gears of equal angle but opposite hand.

3. In a geared power transmission for simultaneously taking differentquantities of power from the ends of a single shaft, a housing, an input:shaftsupported in and extending from `the housing, a main gear mountedon the input shaft and within the housing, an output shaft .having theends thereof extending from the housing for delivering differentquantities of power yfrom the shaft ends, the output shaft being dividedinto portions of unequal length, bearings .supporting Athe .output shaftfoi` axial movement AVfor leguali-zing the load and reactions between#the p'air ofgear trains, and a pair of substantially identical geartrains, the gear trains comprising single 'helical gears meshing withthe main-.gear at opposite ends of a diameter thereof and bevel gearsfor changing direction of power fiow `through the .transmission andycorresponding helical .gears'delivering `.power to the output shaft atlocations spaced .along vthelength `thereof .and adjacent theibeari'n'gsofthelonger shaft portion, the ,pairs .of .correspondinghelical gearsbeing .of equal .angle Lbut opposite hand and delivering power to .thevsame side .of the output shaft to avoid.tippingoftheshaft @Ina geared.power transmission for simul- Ataneously taking tdi-Herent .quantities`of power from-thetwo ends ofan output shaft, ahousing, an input shaftsupportediinand .extending from the .housing and held thereinagainst-axial .movenient, a vmain gear mounted .on the .input shaft, a'pair of .substantially identical `gear trains including corresponding.single helical gears, vand an -output shaft divided into vtwo .portionsof diff erent= diamter,thev gear trains .delivering power to only thelarger diameterlportion oftheout'put shaftand-atflocations-spacedaxiallyof the larger portion-of the shaft.

f5. .In a geared power transmission-for simultaneously -takfingdifferent :quantities -of .power from thetwoendsof an outputshaftfahousing, an input shaft supported in `and extending from thehousing, xthe input shaft Abeing held against axial `-inovement,-themain VKgear vi'nounted I on :the input Ashaft within the housing, `aplurality .of separate 4and similar gear trains driven 4by the maingear, `:the gear -trains -each .including a Vfirst single helical `gearvmeshing with the main gear at the endsof'a.diameterthereof-andvbevelgears driven byrthe iirstsaidfgear, andpairs `of single helical gears driven by the vrbevelgears, Aand anoutput-shaft divided intothe portions of different diametenthe geartrains severally transmitting .power :to the :output .-shaftfportionofVlarger diameter, the output shaft being mounted in the housing foraxial Amovement thereof vwhereby the loading yof the :gear trainsis-equalzed, :the bevel geaisproviding for-.change-in actionand:reaction of'thegear trains.

6. :In ya geared power transmission :for fsimul- :taneou'sly takingfdifferent quantities tof `power :from `the 'endsof :an 'output shaftdrivenbythe gearing, :a housing, an :input shaft Vsupported vin'and--extending v-from the housing lfand :held against .axial movementthereof, Ka main single helical .gear 4.mounted "on `4the input v`shaft,'a :pair of -substantially :identical and spatiallyfseparated geartrains including corresponding lsingle helical gears, :all 'the helicalgears 'being of equal angle but opposite hand, ari-output shaft dividedfinto 'supporting `the output shaft for axial `movement thereof, thegear trains severally supplying power to the larger portion of theoutput shaft on the same side thereof and between and adjacent thebearings thereof for avoiding tilting of the output shaft, and anaxially and angularly flexible coupling joining the output shaftportions for axial movement thereof relative to each other forautomatically equalizing the power transmitted by the gear trains andfor maintaining full line contact of the teeth of the meshing gears.

7. In a geared power transmission the combination of a housing, a lowspeed shaft journalled therein, a high speed shaft journalled forrotation and free axial movement Within said housing, a pair of singlehelical pinions of opposite hand on said high speed shaft, and a pair ofseparate driving connections between said shafts, each of saidconnections comprising a single helical gear meshing with one of saidpinions and means including right angle gearing connecting said singlehelical gear with said loW speed 6 shaft, said single helical pinionsbeing axially movable with said high speed shaft to distribute thetorque load between said separate connections, and said single helicalgears being disposed at the same side of said high speed shaft to avoidimposing a tipping action on the latter.

WALTER PAUL SCHMITTER.

References Cited in the f'lle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 429,134 Kleinstiver June 3, 1890 1,351,318 Alquist Aug.31, 1920 1,727,084 Super Sept. 3, 1929 2,126,691 Schmitter Aug. 9, 19382,156,739 Schmitter May 2, 1939 2,225,863 Halford et al Dec. 24, 19402,327,787 Heintz Aug. 24, 1943 2,386,367 Taylor Oct. 9, 1945 2,392,313Dahlstrand Jan. 8. 1946

